


My Little Ladybug

by WeWillSpockYou



Category: McKirk - Fandom, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Ladybugs, M/M, cavity inducing fluff, rainy day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-10
Updated: 2014-04-10
Packaged: 2018-01-18 21:08:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1442953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WeWillSpockYou/pseuds/WeWillSpockYou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim gets Joanna a ladybug raincoat and matching boots. This is a continuation of an April Showers Bring McKirk McDrabbles post from earlier this week.</p>
            </blockquote>





	My Little Ladybug

Joanna has always been my little ladybug. We had been walking through the flower garden on the McCoy farm the weekend that Bones had introduced us and Joanna was talking up a storm. She was telling me about the flowers and their names and running ahead to tell me about the next flower and her next adventure planting them with her grandmother when she stopped in her tracks, her mouth hung open in wonder.

“What is it Jo?”

“You’re so lucky Uncle Jim.”

I bent down so I was eye level with her. “Of course I’m lucky, I’m spending the day with you.”

“No Uncle Jim, you get the luck of the ladybug today.”

“I do? Why?” I’m not one to argue with luck, but I did want to hear this story.

She raised her little hand to my face. I was watching the play of emotion on hers as I felt her fingertips on my cheek. Her eyes were filled with the wonder and joy only children seem to understand. When she gently took her fingers away, there was a ladybug on her hand.

“I was wearing a ladybug?”

“You must have been a really good boy, Uncle Jim. Ladybugs don’t give their luck to just anyone.”

 

Joanna is the love of my life. Listen, don’t tell Bones I said that, it’s just I never expected anyone to ever love me unconditionally like Joanna does and it all started that day with that ladybug and her luck.

It became a tradition for me to get Joanna ladybug themed gifts and when Bones and I got care packages from Georgia there were always paintings and sketches of me and Joanna covered in ladybugs included inside the box. Sometimes I wondered if Bones was jealous of this thing that was just mine and Joanna’s to share, but he hasn’t said much. His smile when he sees us together, big and full of teeth and dimples answers my question.

I had seen the ladybug raincoat and boots in a store in San Francisco, I mean the city is famous for rain, of course they would have quite a selection. I didn’t know if Joanna needed a new raincoat, but she was getting this one.

Bones and I were on summer break and we had agreed to spend all of it back home in Georgia. Yeah, you heard me right, I said ‘home.’ Iowa had never been home for me, it was just a place I existed, I guess. But that beautiful farm house surrounded by peach trees and love? That was home. It was the place that gave me the courage to tell Bones how much I loved him for the first time and gave him the courage to try marriage again when I got down on one knee in the peach orchard.

Where was I? Oh yeah, home. Joanna’s birthday is at the end of May and I was saving the ladybug jacket and boots for her party. She danced around the yard when she unwrapped the present and kicked off her sandals to try on the rubber boots. She spent the rest of the party wearing the coat and the boots, much to Bones consternation as he continually grumbled about heat stroke and god-dammed ladybugs.

Just a little note on my better half and his grumbling…it means he’s happy. Yeah, I mean cats purr and birds sing when they’re happy. My Bones complains, I’ve learned to roll with it. It’s when he’s quiet that I know I’m in serious trouble. Anyway, back to my little ladybug.

The worst thing about my gift to Joanna was my inability to control the weather. She had turned into a real grumpy cat in the weeks after her birthday since there was no opportunity to try out her present and Bones had banned her from wearing the coat in the house or to bed at night. I’m not going to lie to you, the night I went to tuck her in and she was wearing the jacket over her pajamas was the best day of my life.

I even went so far as suggesting we turn on the garden hose to try out the jacket.

“It’s not the same Daddy Jim. It’s gotta be real rain.” Her sigh was bigger than you should ever hear come from a six year old girl. I was desperate for rain.

Two weeks later I got my wish. Bones and were tangled in bed one morning when I heard a rumble. “D’ya hear that Bones?” I whispered to him.

“Ya mean the sound a’silence, Jim? Yeah, I hear it, it’s 5am, dammit.”

“No Bones, that’s thunder, do you hear it?” He’s so damn adorable in the morning.

“Yeah Jim.” He mumbled, not quite understanding what that meant as I started to get out of bed. “What the hell, Jim? You wake me up, now ya leavin?” He’s more adorable before he’s had his coffee.

“Bones, it’s raining.” He gave me a look like I’d lost my corn-fed mind…again.

“OH, the damn raincoat, right, I’m up, just get back here and kiss me first.” He’s the most adorable when he wants to kiss me.

We were in the kitchen having coffee when I heard her little footsteps pounding down the stairs. Bones had turned on the holo-camera to record this for us without my having to ask him. He does that for me so often, taking pics and video as he himself blends into the background. It’s these moments when I love him so much I think my heart will explode.

“It’s raining, it’s pouring, the old man is snoring.” Joanna was singing as she danced into the kitchen.

“How about some breakfast Jo? Bones asked her, winking at me behind her back.

“Seriously, Daddy?” Her tiny version of Bones’ eyebrow of doom was on red alert.

It was all I could do not to burst out laughing. She danced off to grab her coveted coat and boots which she put on over her pajamas. I grabbed my own dull, grey rain slicker and wondered if they made ladybug raincoats in my size. Well if they don’t, they should! I’ll be sending a strongly worded email from CAPTAIN James T. Kirk if they don’t, you just watch me.  Anyway, we were dressed and ready to go outside.

I look back on this day a lot now that we’re back on board the Enterprise. It was gloomy and humid and wet and windy. The kind of day which forces kids to stay inside to drive their parents crazy all day, but here we were, standing on the farmer’s porch with Joanna’s smile taking the place of sunshine.

“You ready to try out that coat and boots, Ladybug?” Of course I knew the answer to that, but I had to SEE it on her face.

“Ready Daddy Jim.” Her eyes danced with joy as she jumped up in down, her boots thumping loudly on the deck .

I reached out for her little hand and felt my heart thump hard as she placed hers in mine. I had fallen in love with my little ladybug all over again, something that happens all the time around the McCoys; father and daughter alike.

“Let’s go!” We both took off running into the rain. Thunder boomed around us, but all I could hear was Joanna’s giggle as we scoped out the best puddle to jump in.

“Ready Daddy?” Joanna called to me as she stood at the edge of a huge puddle.

“Ready Ladybug.” 

She jumped up into the air, tucking her legs in as she jumped and then landed with a huge splash, sending a wave of water over my boring grey boots. I really need to do something about these boring boots…

She was soaked from head to toe in mud and rainwater, but the radiant smile on her face was the only thing that mattered to me. “Well, how do your boots work, Ladybug?”

“Awesome Daddy Jim, the best present ever, but don’t tell Daddy, I don’t want him to be sad, okay?”

“Okay, deal. Wanna do it again?” Oh yeah, we were gonna do this ALL day long or until Bones tells us to come in and get dry. I mean, we all know THAT moment is coming.

“No Daddy Jim, I want you to jump, jump, jump!” She emphasized her point by jumping up and down.

I mean really, have you ever met a luckier man in your life? I jumped up and down a few times to warm up and Joanna was cheering me on. I jumped straight up into the air and landed with a huge splash, soaking myself in mud down to the roots of my hair. It was the best feeling ever as Joanna jumped into my arms and we started singing, “It’s raining, it’s pouring, the old man is snoring.” I turned around to look back at Bones who was standing on the porch filming us, dry, but for his face which was soaked in tears of joy.

**Author's Note:**

> I have to admit to battling confusion here...I got a bunch of notes from you all yesterday asking to see one of the Spring Drabbles made into a full fic. I thought it was the puddle jumping fic, Jim did too, so he started whispering this story to me early this morning. 
> 
> I say it all the time that Jim and Joanna are my oxygen. I cannot get enough of these two together. I especially love how Bones has let their relationship grow and evolve without him. He's never once had to choose between them and often finds himself over-ruled by Jim and Joanna...but now you know what it means when Bones complains!
> 
> To those of your who meant you wanted to see the Easter Bunny conversation from Jim's point of view? You'll see it soon, I promise! He's quite the Chatty Kathy this morning!!


End file.
